Solicitous Sea, Unstable Tides
by Reverbalation
Summary: Her sights are set on Makoto, yet Haruka seems to have some type of interest in her? Will she choose to keep swimming after her dream, or will reality's tsunami finally crash on her? [Semi-drabbles of a love triangle; all in which are POV's of Makoto, Haruka, and my OC: Kinoya. Revamped!]
1. Curiosity (Haru)

I couldn't bear it any longer. Today was one of the few days I attended my classes and I felt as if I should have just stayed out; art class being no exception. Of course, my mind and body both agreeed to ditch for the school's pool, which was my only salvation.

Then the bell rung.

Finally, I could breathe. I could breathe and leave. With little to no time, I grabbed my things and dashed straight out the door; the idea of water relieving my aching head and rapid thoughts was enough to get me going. I was free-

"N-Nanase-kun...?"

I froze in place as a strange chill darted up my spine. A girl's voice said my name just now, right? No, I- I don't know what to say and do. Her voice sounded off though; almost as if she was... scared? No, that wasn't right was it-

"Nanase-kun!"

I quickly shot my head around to see a short girl with orange hair and bright lilac eyes run up to me in almost a panic. Before I could even make a break for it, she stood there in front of me with her head looking down. Was she just as uncomfortable as I was?

With a small gesture of her hand, she held out a textbook. Ah, I must have left this. Was I suppose to say something here or do I just need to take it from her? My brain pulsated as shots of confusing thoughts passed through my head.

I just needed to get out of here.

I gulped down the dryness in my throat and slowly reached for the book in question. Just as I opened my mouth to speak up, a large hand placed itself on my shoulder and I could hear my head screaming for the pool immediately.

My eyes quickly moved towards the source of the hand until I met a familiar emerald gaze; it was my childhood friend, Makoto. "Found you, Haru- Oh, hey there, Miyabe-chan!" _Miyabe-chan?_ Wait- He knew who this girl was?

I turned my focus on her again, only to notice that her face was red. W-Was she running a fever?

"I-I just wanted to return this book to Nanase-kun! He left it in art class, so..."

"How nice of you! Thank you for that, Miyabe-chan."

"... Thanks."

The two of them stared at me instantly and I could feel my stomach literally twist. Did I say something weird? I mean, it was the right thing to say in this type of situation, right? Oh god, maybe I should have just kept quiet-

"Y-You're welcome."

My eyes stayed fixed on her, she softly pushed the book in my hand and ran as fast as she did when she called my name. I didn't understand why, but all I could do was just stare at her. Then she looked back at us.

She looked back and her eyes were- Her eyes were... They weren't on me, but on Makoto, Bothered. For some reason I felt bothered. My chest got strangely tight and stayed that way until she vanished behind a corner of the hallway.

I could breathe once again.

Now that I could think a little clearer, maybe it was the best time to talk to Makoto. He did know the girl after all, right? So maybe it wasn't so odd to just ask who exactly...

"Makoto."

"Yeah, Haru?"

"Who was that girl?"

"Ooh! Curious about her are we now?"

Or maybe it wasn't. I didn't have time for joking, ' _sarcasm_ ', or whatever people called it. It only made these thoughts more worse than they already were. With a sigh, I walked towards the nearest exit in hopes of getting to the school's pool. I needed the cool water to take my mind off this ' _Miyabe-chan_ '.

"She's actually... Wait, Haru- I wasn't just kidding, hold on!"

Hmph.


	2. Stroll (Mako)

The class' clock kept ticking away as I fiddled with my pencil, hoping to gain more time to consider what I should do as a thank you gift. After all, a certain cheery girl ended up helping one forgetful friend of mine; I rather it be repaid than not.

A small hum came out of my throat as I took a small glance at the girl who sat beside me: Miyabe, Kinoya. She was the cheerful one that returned the textbook to Haru a few days ago, and I couldn't help but smile at that.

Maybe something fancy like dinner would do? Nah, I have no way to pay that today... Or maybe I could- Wait! If I remembered correctly, didn't she say something about always wanting to visit the school's pool to a friend of hers?

Perfect!

The bell rung out, almost like it knew I needed to get a head start now. I turned myself to notice that Miyabe-chan is already gathering her belongings and quickly I called out to her. "Miyabe-chan! Can I ask you something-"

 _Tap, tap, tap!_

A few of her pencils fell as she nearly jumped out of her seat. O-Oops... I think I might of startled her fierce. "Y-Yes, Tachibana-kun?" Her voice was definitely showing signs of being frightened and without any hesitation, I helped her pick up the remaining pencils from the floor apologetically.

"It was about what you did for Haru the other day."

"Hm? What about it?"

"I was wondering- Is it true that you'd like to go to the pool after school?"

"Y-Yes! I always wanted to, but I was afraid I would be a bother..."

I blinked at her for a moment and couldn't help but to crack a smile. Cheerful _and_ thoughtful, huh? I placed my hand on top of her head and gentle petted her, watching her peek up through her bangs. "Well, how about coming there today?" A small gasp came from her mouth.

"Seriously?! I enjoy swimming and stuff, so I would love to see!"

Well, she certainly took me by surprise. She almost sounded exactly like Haru! I started to laugh at her energetic response and took my hand away; seeing her puff out her cheek in a pouty sort of way. Before I could say anything else, she cut me right out of my thoughts.

"However..."

A condition? But wasn't I the one inviting her-

"I'll only go if Tachibana-kun walks me there- If it isn't a bother, of course!"

Once again, I tried to speak up, only for her to grab her bag from the side of her desk and run to the door. She stuck her tongue at me as she looked back and I didn't understand why, but it made the inside of my chest feel warm.

"Maybe I should just go home then?"

"Ha! Okay, okay... You win this time, Miyabe-chan. It's your thank you gift after all."

Once I took a hold of my own bag, I walked right behind her and out of the classroom. "This is one of the few times I am glad English is my last class." All I did was look at her as she turned around to face me, a smile on her face. I chuckled at her sudden outburst and I could have sworn her face was-

"Let's go!"

"Ah- Okay."

Although the walk to the pool was mostly silent, it was actually relaxing and pretty fun to have someone to go with. Typically I would go with Haru, but I had to admit... This was completely different compared to that. Maybe it was because it was a fresh face this time around.

I took a deep breath in and smiled at the girl walking next to me.

"It would be nice if we could walk like this again, huh?"


	3. Joining (Kino)

_"Sorry! I have school duties to go to... I'll just meet you there today, okay?"_

Is what Makoto said to me in English class, and so here I was just waiting. Usually, I would be with Kou or Nagisa at the very least, but even they weren't here yet. With a small sigh, I gingerly placed my bare legs into the pool water and slightly kicked them about.

Then that fast patting of footsteps echoed out.

My eyes shot up to the source and made contact with a certain blue-eyed swimmer. Ah, it's Nanase. He seemed almost like he was scared stiff to see me here and honestly, I was frightened with how fast he was going just to make it here.

"You don't have to worry about me-"

"... Good afternoon."

"Oh- G-Good afternoon!"

That took me by surprised big time. I wasn't expecting the rumored stoic boy to even acknowledge me sitting here, but he did and even gave me a polite greeting. I wonder if it's because he sees me as a friend now. If so, then I-

 _Splash!_

Before I could think anymore on it, his sudden dive tore me right out of my thoughts; some of the water flicking on me. I blinked a bit, but only after did I started giggling at the cooling sensation. That was when the upper half of his head slowly popped out the water.

O-Oh, did I do something weird just now? His eyes felt like they were burning a hole right through me and I could only feel myself shift my legs uncomfortably. Oh! Maybe it was because I was distracting him from swimming? I would hope not, but-

"Do you enjoy the water?"

Hah? Did I enjoy the water? For a second, I stared back into his sapphire gaze, and he didn't seem to falter like usual. Maybe, just maybe, he was being super serious with this? With a downcast of my eyes, I gave a small smile at the water encasing my legs.

"It's like a friend who'll always be there for you, right?"

"... Nn?"

"Like, someone you always feel comforted around..."

And just like that, his body dove right back into the pool. I wonder- maybe what I said was a bit too weird. Then again, I always thought of the water that way ever since I was a kid. I knew I meant every word of it when I took a second gander at it-

 _Sploosh!_

"A-Ah?!"

Nanase came right back up where I was sitting and he fixated his gaze on me like nobody's business. For some reason, I felt my cheeks grow warm from the sudden staring contest he held with me. Just what exactly was he thinking about at this moment?

Once he gripped my wrist, I could feel the panic fill up my stomach. He wasn't planning on pulling me in, was he? I had no other clothes besides my uniform, so what would I do if he- The gentle caress of the water against my fingers was enough to make me focus on the male again.

All he wanted to do was to dip my fingers in? I looked at him for a little, only to catch a glimpse of him trying to stare at me once again. "... The water seems to enjoy you as well." My heart skipped a bit. I didn't know why, but that made me grin from ear-to-ear.

"Would you swim with us, Miyabe?"

"Ah, I-"

"... You won't be a disturbance if you did."

"N-Nanase-kun, I-"

Suddenly, he let go of my wrist as he went back inside the water, swimming ever so elegantly through the pool to get to _his_ side. My eyes were glued to his form and a smile settled itself on my face once again. I hummed in delight, my fingers wiggling in the water.

"Hmm... Okay, I will! I'll join in on the swimming tomorrow, Nanase-kun."


	4. Troubled (Haru)

I wonder if I overdid it yesterday. I mean, I- I asked her to join us out of nowhere, I kept staring at her, and I even... I even touched her wrist. Something came over me when she talked about the water like she was familiar with it, and I-

I sighed as I stayed afloat on the water; thinking on what happened was beyond painful for my head and even while I was in my solace, it poked at me. To make things worse, I haven't seen her in art class and I am beginning to think it was my fault.

All I need right now is to ease in the water, then maybe I-

"Hey, Haru-chan! By yourself as usual, I see."

I winced inwardly. There goes Nagisa again with the chan stuff. I was hoping that I was able to surround myself with nothing but the water, but I already know his ways of being too playful in the pool. Ah, but wait- Wasn't he usually with Miyabe around this time?

I slowly opened one of my eyes, only to see him readying himself to jump in. Slowly, I opened my mouth to question about the girl, but he suddenly cut me off. "I'm surprised that Kino-senpai isn't here yet! Then again, Gou did say they had a surprise for us..."

A surprise? So wait, Miyabe was here then? I didn't understand why, but the fact that she was at school actually made me feel- feel... happy? Relaxed, maybe. Either way, I could finally breathe in again and that was all that mattered to me now.

Not long after did I hear good afternoons between a group, one voice I've been waiting to hear this whole time- Wait... Was I actually waiting to hear _her_ voice? Why did I want to hear her and know that she was at school? I- I don't even know-

"Hey, Haru and Nagisa!"

"Good afternoon, Haruka-senpai... Nagisa."

"Mako-chan, Rei-chan; hello!"

".. Nn."

Well, everyone was here now and of course, they were playing around; Nagisa starting it with one of his splashes hitting both Makoto and Rei. Then all I felt was his elbow hitting me as he was trying to get as much water against his hand.

Just when I stopped floating and readied myself to splash him for bothering my relaxing time, an almost recognizable squeal came from the locker rooms. Everyone stood still, turning their heads to the entrance of the pool. What was that about?

Then out came Kou from the female locker rooms and she was dashing in full speed to get near the edge of the pool. "Hey, you guys! You wouldn't believe the masterpiece I just did with Kinoya-senpai!" Masterpiece- what? What is going on-

That was when I got my answer.

Miyabe came out and she looked- She looked so... weird? Different? All I could feel at that moment was pressure rushing to my head as it ached once again; confusing thoughts going back and forth like whiplash. What is this? Why am I feeling this way again?

"Whoooa! Kino-senpai looks so pretty!"

"Doesn't she? I worked hard to find her a bathing suit, and this black and lilac one screamed out to me!"

"Y-You guys... you're embarrassing me."

Why was this swimsuit getting to me so much? It wasn't like I never saw a girl wear one before, but for some reason something made this different to me. Just as I was about to open my mouth, Nagisa sneaked his way out of the pool and infamously pushed her in.

"No need to be embarrassed; you're with friends, Kino-senpai!"

All I heard after that was laughter filling the air and her short lived squeak. The laughing died down when everyone took notice that she was in the water a little longer than she should have. Panic. My stomach twisted in panic. I need to help her- she was in there too long, she needs help-

I was close to diving down until she flew out. She flew out and- and everything was sparkling. Wait, sparkling? I stared at her more and for some reason, the way she posed in the air was like a mermaid. Fierce, yet- yet so... beautiful? Why did that word come to mind?

"Amazing, Kinoya-senpai! That was so amazing!"

"It was rather graceful, to be frank."

"E-Eh?"

I wanted to say something for some reason; my brain was just aching for me to do it, and as I tried to... Makoto took the words right out of my head. "You should really consider joining the team, Kinoya-chan!" Wait, Kinoya-chan? Isn't that-

She nodded with a red face as he patted her head.

… Bothered. So bothered.


	5. Inkling (Mako)

I fidgeted in my seat a bit as I gave a sideways glance to the seat next to me; curiosity just pouring itself in my head. Miyabe hasn't been in class for a good solid number of three days, and I had no clue why she was absent for a while. For some reason, I was worried if it was because of joining in the club.

That was when the bell blared out obnoxiously.

All I could do was sigh as thoughts of her possibly faking her happiness of being a club member filled my mind. There was no way she would fake it, but what if... I let out another long sigh, grabbing my bag and shuffling my way out the classroom door.

The walk to the pool felt longer compared to when I had company with me; Miyabe would usually be with me. I would have went to ask Haruka, but he already took off. If only I knew what exactly was going on with her, then maybe this walk would have been easy to deal with.

It wasn't long after I arrived to the club that I felt eyes staring ever so intently on me. Once I got changed and went out, I was met with two worried-filled gazes. Both Rei and Nagisa stood still in the pool as I inched closer; could it be that they were hoping to see Miyabe with me?

"I'm sorry, you guys... But she-"

"S-She's got a cold!"

A certain manager huffed out, almost as if she ran as soon as she could to give us the news. Everyone's attention was focused on her until Haruka ended up questioning about it. "... A cold?" Emerald met blue as I stared at him shortly afterward. Was he waiting for her to show up today?

 _Ping._

I couldn't wrap my head around it, but the thought of him actually waiting was... was a bit disturbing for some reason. With a mental shake to get that nasty feeling out of my chest, I turned my head to Gou who locked eyes with me with little to no hesitation.

"I can read you like a book, y'know."

"Huh-"

"You can go and check up on her if you want. I don't mind!"

"Ah! Yeah, thank you-"

"Me too."

Was that the Haru we all knew talking? He typically wouldn't give up the pool just like that, even if it would save his life. After I heard the water splash about, he gently took the towel out of my hand to dry himself off. "Uh, H-Haru? Why did you-"

All it took was a small glance for me to tell what exactly was going on. He was worried about her just like everyone else. Even though he didn't say it in blunt words, it was readable in his eyes. I couldn't help but chuckle at him as he averted his gaze. I suppose him coming along didn't hurt.

It didn't take too long for the both of us to quickly change into our uniforms and head out with a wave goodbye to the rest of the gang. However, I couldn't seem to shake off this weird vibe I had going on. Was it because Haru decided to tag along, or maybe I was just upset Miyabe got a cold...

"Makoto."

"Oh- Yeah, Haru?"

"I..."

"You hope she's okay too, huh?"

"... Yes."

Although he astonished everyone with the fact he left the pool to check on Miyabe, I am certain he knew what was more important. A small smile formed on my lips, my eyes darting over to where my friend was walking; he seemed way too nervous than before.

He turned his head towards me and I realized there was a certain gleam in his eyes. I wasn't sure what exactly the emotion was, but something was there and it instantly made my stomach do a back-flip or two. He wanted to come to see if she was fine, but why...

Why do I feel like there was something more to it than just that?


	6. Nursing (Kino)

I hummed quietly to myself as I went down my hallway, looking all too eagerly at the kitchen. Even though I had a slight cold, everything was perfectly normal; my parents weren't here and so I was basically left to watch over myself.

After all, it was my fault when it came to getting myself ill. I knew it was breezier than usual when I joined the swim club a few day ago, but it was just too much fun to pass up. However, it turned into a small, regretful memory when I ended up with a cold not long after.

Just as I was about to make my way inside the kitchen, the doorbell rang out and stopped me in my tracks. Guests? But my parents weren't going to be home for a week... With a frustrated sigh, I covered myself up with the blanket around my shoulders and headed towards the wooden door.

All I needed was to take a quick peek out the window and if it was no one of interest, I'll pretend that I was asleep. Yeah, that's perfect! With my plan put into action, I moved the curtain only an inch to be taken aback by what I saw; M-Makoto and Nanase?!

Once I undid the lock, I pulled the curtain back enough for them to notice and mouthed that the door was opened for them. In they came and before I could even give them a proper greeting, I was struck with a horrible coughing fit.

I wanted to say I was going to be alright, that they shouldn't even panic about the coughing, but all I could feel was big arms wrapping themselves around my body. W-Who... I looked up to see Makoto cradling me to his chest, his bare feet practically shaking the floor.

T-Too close. He was too close.

"Where is your bedroom, Miyabe-chan?"

I couldn't speak; my eyes closing shut. My heart was thumping loud and my face grew warmer.

"... Over here, I think."

"Oh, thank you, Haru!"

Thank you indeed! I would've choked if I talked while in his arms...

It wasn't long until I fell into the comfort of my own bed, Makoto tugging fast at the sheets and blanket just to keep me warm. "Now you stay there and rest. If you want anything, just ask!" My eyes roamed up to his green orbs, the contact lingering a little longer than it should have.

"H-How about I get you some green tea and porridge?"

"That.. That would be nice, t-thank you."

"Alright, I'll make each of them quickly!"

And with that, Makoto left without a trace behind my door. With a soft whimper, I snuggled as best as I could against the covers; hoping that I could make the warmth last longer than a second. Only a few minutes after I obtained a comfy spot, the sound of something heavy sinking into my bean bag caught my attention.

"Ah... I'm sorry, Nanase-kun. I didn't get to greet you or Tachibana-kun."

"... Hn."

"I'm surprised though; why aren't either of you at club practice?"

"Worried."

W-Worried? I could understand Makoto acting that way, but... Nanase, too? "You guys really are overreacting, huh?" That was when I could just feel the stares coming from him. Maybe he wasn't sure if I was joking or if I was just- "You're... a friend to us." Friend. He called me a friend.

A smile tugged at my lips as I pulled myself up into a sitting position, my head turning next to me to see Nanase looking away shyly. Maybe he wasn't use to saying something like that, but it made me incredibly happy to hear nonetheless. "And you are a friend to me as well, Nanase-kun."

He was about to turn his focus on me until Makoto came back into the room with a bowl of warm porridge; the smell of it nearly making my stomach growl. "I'm sorry that it took me longer than expected, I had trouble finding everything."

I looked over at the clock on my nightstand. A good twenty minutes went by from what I saw, so I moved my gaze back to the over worried male and gave him a small smile. "No need to say sorry; honestly, you cooked that quicker than I would." His chuckle reached my ears afterwards.

"Ha! Well, anyway... Do you mind eating on your own? The tea is still boiling and I-"

"I'll help."

"Oh? That'll be great, Haru!"

Help me eat? I could have said that it was okay and I could handle it, but I could sense a small determination in Nanase. It was like he wanted to do something this whole time, yet wasn't sure on how to go about asking. Is that why he didn't say much earlier?

Once the gentle giant handed over the bowl, he left as quickly as he came in; as if he was like a rushing mother or something. My gaze stay locked onto the door until a clatter was made next to me, the sound of my bean bag brushing against the oak flooring.

"Ah."

It took me a moment to realize what the sound Nanase was mimicking was; my cheeks heating up once again when I realized just how close he was leaning in. I timidly opened my mouth as he scooped up some of the porridge, placing the spoonful delicately inside.

This continued on until the bowl was finally empty. "Thank you for feeding me!" Even though that sounded more awkward than it did in my brain, it didn't seem to phase the raven-haired boy next to me as he just simply nodded in response. Before I was able to sink into the covers again, I jolted to a sudden stop.

H-His hand was on my cheek. He was randomly caressing my cheek and all I could do was curl my toes as panic washed over me. W-What was he doing so nonchalantly? His thumb brushed over the corner of my lip, a chill going up my spine from the touch.

"H-Haru, what are you doing?!"

I could feel my face turn flush, embarrassed of not only the spontaneous boy next to me, but the fact my crush ended up seeing it all happen. Just as I turned my head to face Nanase, I caught a full on glimpse of him licking the leftover porridge off his finger. I-Is he actually a sly predator or something?!

"She had some left."

"T-That doesn't matter; y-you don't touch a lady in that kind of manner randomly!"

"... But you picked her up earlier."

"Ah! T-That was... I-I was j-just-"

I watched as the two bickered back and forth on what just happened and all I could do was laugh. I felt bewildered eyes glancing over at me, my smile never faltering out of place as I looked back at them. Then a small thought ran across my mind shortly after.

Though these two were quite the odd duo when it came to nursing, they certainly brought light into my otherwise lonely day.


	7. Muddled (Haru)

Why did I do that? Something came over me again and I hated every bit of it when I thought back on my reflexes yesterday. I touched her cheek and lip- I touched them with my hand and she didn't say anything. She didn't say a word to me.

My body was surrounded by water, the pulsing sensation in my brain halting; the thoughts freezing in place as I picked the ones I wanted to think about. I touched something so soft- Did she dislike my wiping as much as Makoto made it sound? It wasn't as if she said no, but it brought... fear? The idea brought fear in me.

Just as I went up for air, a subtle splash came about from the corner of the pool. I turned myself in the direction it came from and stumbled upon Miyabe, easing her way into the water. "Oh, hello Nanase-kun!" Ah. That's right; she had got better a day after Makoto and I visited.

"... Hello."

"I was trying to be as quiet as I could be; you were swimming after all."

"Nn."

I held my gaze on her for a while. I had no idea why Makoto scolded me all the way until we reached his house that evening; she didn't seem to be uncomfortable around me like he said she would. My thoughts were set into motion again until I heard another splash.

"Well, as we wait for the others... Do you want to chat a bit?"

"... Chat?"

"As in, I want to talk to you about something, silly."

She swam her way closer to me and the closer she got, the more my mind raced. Was it about what I did? Oh god, it might be. My throat went dry when her eyes bored into mine, the fear from earlier rising to the point of no return. "I didn't-"

"What do you like to eat, Nanase-kun?"

Hah?

"I was wondering since I wanted to thank both you and Makoto with a Sunday dinner!"

Dinner this Sunday? "I mean, you don't have to come if you don't want to. I guess Makoto and I would just eat by ourselves or something..." By themselves- My fingers twitched against my swimsuit. I don't know why, but I didn't like that. It bothered me.

"... I'll come. I- I like mackerel."

"That's great! Okay, I'll make sure to ask about that then."

The ripples her laughter made hit me one by one and caused a tickling feeling it seemed. She was... She was happy that I was going this Sunday. She was happy. My lips curved up on their own and I watched Miyabe's eyes grow wide. Instantly, my mouth pressed together in... in panic.

"You- You smiled, Nanase!"

Where- Where did the honorific go? And what does she mean I-

"I'm so glad that you're happy."

Happy. Was I happy too? When I thought about it, the tickling inside my chest increased when I assumed she was happy. It wasn't just the small waves hitting me then, was it? Then something washed over me; I wanted to touch her again. But no, if I did that then I'll-

"Good afternoon, Miyabe-chan and Haru!"

Gone; the feelings of wanting to pet her disappeared as Makoto entered the pool. "Ah- Tachibana-kun, I have something to ask of you!" She kicked her way through the water to reach the edge, her attention on my friend now. This was...

"Nanase said he wanted mackerel, do you mind?"

Was...

"Mackerel, huh..? Ha! That's not really a surprise coming from him."

It was...

"So it's okay then?"

N-Not fa...

"Yes, yes."

Then he petted her head like usual. Her face looked as if she was running a fever like usual. I've seen this plenty of times, but this aching in my ribcage is nothing close to usual. I dunked my whole body in the water again and my eyes closed tightly.

This was different. This was a whole new thing and I couldn't even comprehend it. I wanted to pat her head like he did, but I couldn't. I didn't know why I even wanted to- But it hurts. My head hurts. The water is not helping me; it's suffocating like the outside world now. Please- Please, stop my brain.

I was _'happy'_ with dinner, but now... what the hell is this feeling.


	8. Supper (Mako)

"Supper at her house; sounds really delicious, huh?"

"Hn."

"... Something the matter-"

"No."

For some strange reason I highly doubt that. Ever since we decided to finally head out to Miyabe's home, the tension between us skyrocketed. I knew Haru could be rigid at times, but today should be a relaxing day for the both of us. All I could do was just sigh.

As I stared out to the vast amount of houses, one I was already familiar with came to view. I turned my head beside me and all I saw was my friend walking at a fast pace to get to the home. Maybe- Maybe I just mistook the whole air floating around us? He seemed eager all of a sudden...

It didn't take too long until we were both standing in front of the door and ringing the doorbell; the aroma of some rice cooking tickling my nose. The door began to open and I prepared myself to greet Miyabe, only to be surprised by a maroon-haired girl that we knew all too well. "Gou-"

"It's Kou!"

"S-Sorry, I was just-"

"Surprised to see me here? I came to visit Kinoya-senpai and found out she was going to make dinner!"

"Ah- Come in you two! I'll say hello in a minute."

That was the voice I was expecting and with the welcome mat opened, Haru and I walked on in. Once we settled ourselves around the dining table, Miyabe popped right out of the kitchen with a big smile. "Good evening, Tachibana-kun and Nanase!" I smiled back at her and nodded my head.

"... 'Evening."

"The food isn't quite ready yet, but I did get to finish the rice."

"Don't worry! Makoto-senpai and I are patient when it comes to food, but since it's mackerel..."

It was like everyone's gazes moved to the male sitting next to me. He just stared back and cocked his head slightly; oblivious as always, huh, Haru? "Speaking of mackerel, I am going to get a start on it. You guys just make yourself at home, okay?"

"Alright!"

It felt like time was ticking away slowly even though Gou, I, and occasionally Haru, chatted away about how everything was and about swimming like always. However, a hummed melody coming from the kitchen caught our attention. I wonder if she realized we were all still here-

Then Haru got up onto his feet; making his way behind the bubbly girl and leaning over her. He typically wouldn't get so close to someone that he practically made skin contact with, so this was odd to see. I don't know when it started, but my eyes didn't want to tear away from the scene. How strange...

I watched as the orange-haired girl scolded my friend for sneaking up on her, but I got this feeling that he wasn't even paying attention to a word she said. That didn't settle too well with me as my fingers tapped away at the table. Just why in the heck did I feel this way?

"Shocking to see Haruka-senpai being so _'friendly'_ with a girl, eh?"

"Really... He just doesn't know any better, though."

"That's true, I guess. But they kinda look like a weird couple this way."

Weird couple, huh? Yeah, I guess I could see that now. Without a second thought, I got up from my seat and glanced at Gou. She seemed to be taken aback just a bit from my sudden movement, but gave me one of her famous smiles. I don't even know what I was doing, but I-

"Miyabe-chan, do you need any help?"

She gently pushed Haru away so she could look at me; her eyes literally glistening when I asked. "Oh, yes! I just finished the rest of the food, so if you don't mind plating then that'll be great." An almost fluffy-like feeling passed through my chest until I felt a stare stabbing daggers at me.

A chill went up my spine as I went to grab two of the finished plates; just who exactly was glaring at me? Finally, I turned myself to the source of the stare and my eyes locked onto Haru's blue ones. He was looking at me, but it wasn't the strong gaze I felt earlier. Maybe it was simply my imagination?

Once everyone had their food, everything was relatively normal. Gou decided to strike a conversation up with Miyabe about muscles as I listen attentively at the silly topic; Haru just eating up the cooked mackerel with no mercy.

Although this day wasn't completely relaxing, it certainly was fun-

"Ah, I have some news to tell you all!"

"Hah- News?"

"Mhmm! I was able to set up a practice match with Samezuka and it happens to be in a day or two."

A practice match with Rin's school; why do I have a sense that this might go terribly wrong..?


	9. Feisty (Kino)

"Whoa..."

So this was Samezuka Academy, huh? All I knew about it was that Kou's big brother was apart of the swim team here, but she didn't go into too much detail about it. As we all headed inside towards the school's pool, I felt a bit of nervousness as well as anticipation sink in. This was pretty exciting!

"So, how are you feeling right now?"

My eyes stared at the olive-haired male walking next to me, and all I did was just grin. Although it was just a practice match, this would be my first one I ever attended and that alone gave me the good kind of chills. Just as we reached the end of our destination, a deep voice called out to us.

"Well, if it ain't the Iwatobi swimmers."

Eh?

Suddenly, an eerily similar-looking male walked up to us with a red-headed man and a silver-haired boy. I didn't know what it was, but I didn't like the aura coming from him. His red orbs instantly narrowing as he met my lilac ones. "Hah..? Who is this pipsqueak?" E-Excuse me...? Pipsqueak?!

"Big bro, this is the new member I told you about: Miyabe, Kinoya!"

"A girl, eh? Doesn't look like much of a swimmer to me."

I could feel my irritation rising as I gripped onto my school's jacket.

"Nn."

Nanase's arm bordered me off, almost as if he knew what I was thinking. That, or he thought I was going to punch the guy. Which honestly wasn't that far off based on how my body was reacting. After all, he really needed to learn a few pointers on how to talk to a girl.

"Heh. Just make sure you don't get in my way, _princess_."

Just as he turned away from us, I...

"Like how you're getting in mine right now, idiot?"

He craned his neck in my direction and gave me the most intense glare I ever have witnessed. "What the hell did you just say..." Soon enough, he began to stomp his way towards me and Nanase tried to stand between the bad tempered boy and I. However, he was pushed aside like a doll.

"Big bro, what are you-"

"Just because you're the newbie doesn't mean I won't be harsh on you, girlie."

"Rin, I think you should calm down-"

"Who said I was a newbie at this, dimwit?"

The male in front of me was practically fuming with annoyance, his hands balled into white knuckled fists; I must really have struck a nerve with him now. "Oh? Then how about you and I..." He stepped closer to me, my body moving back until I felt a wall behind me.

"... Swim against each other, hah?"

His face was literally inches away from mine and his warm breath brushed against my face with each word he spoke. It was too late to back down now, so all I could do was agree to his small competition. Just as I nodded, an arm lodged its way in between us; my eyes widened when it tugged me away.

"That's enough, you two!"

I was in the arms of Makoto as he held me tight to his chest, like he was afraid to let me go. My face steamed with heat when he squeezed me without any restraint. J-Just what he was doing? I peeked up to get a better look at the gentle giant and saw that he was a little red himself; he acted without thinking, huh?

"It's fine, Ma... Makoto-kun."

"E-Eh? But Miyabe-chan..."

Ever so slowly, I removed myself from his grasp and stared at Rin; my every senses filled with nothing but tenacity. "Look, mister. If winning this match means you'll be polite to me, then let's go!" There was no way I was going to let my nerves get to me now. I demanded respect from this man-child.

"Feh. Polite to trash like you? We'll see."

We'll see indeed, because there will be no way in heck that I'll let someone like you beat me. With only a gaze held for a minute or two, the both of us headed towards the edge of the pool and I watched as he tossed his jacket aside to his red-headed friend.

This was it. The beginning of my personal practice session.

"Kino-senpai is kind of scary when she's feisty..."


	10. Admiration (Haru)

All eyes were on the two now. The Samezuka swim team's captain yelled out the word go and the whole pool area turned obnoxiously loud, yet I didn't mind it much like I usually would have. My gaze was locked on Miyabe as she swam through the water with ease, but she was behind by a few feet.

"She's trying her hardest, but..."

Makoto stood next to me; he was watching her closely like our friends were, but then he turned to look at me. "Haru, what do you think of her technique right now?" Such a random question to ask at a time like this. Her technique though...

"Mermaid."

"W-Wha?"

"Like a mermaid."

I could tell I said something weird by how Makoto's shoulders sunk down a bit, but it was true- The way she kicked her legs, how she dove in the water in a relaxed pose, and the movements of her arms... All of it resembled a mermaid to me for some reason. It was-

"Come on, Kino-senpai! You totally got this!"

I shifted my attention on her again and they were already half way through the first lap; she actually caught up to him. "... Maybe you're right about her being a mermaid, Haru." I knew I was right. I already knew because that was what I saw in her the first time she swam with us as a team.

I couldn't figure out why, but my head calmed down every time I watched her play with the water. It was like I could sense the freedom she had with it; like I was the water itself. It was- It was... stunning? Like right now, she- she looked s-

"Keep it up, Miyabe-senpai!"

I lost that thought when Rei shouted at the girl. Her hand slapped against the edge only a few seconds before Rin's did. Was she actually going to beat him? I felt a chill crawl up my spine as I stared at Miyabe doing a flipturn and taking off promptly; strongly even.

My eyes grew wide. I'm not sure why they did, but... When the water took her in soundly and- "Her swimming is so cool..." I tore my eyes away from her and back on Makoto, who shifted in place for some reason. Cool wasn't the word I was thinking of; no, it was much more to it than just that...

"Kinoya-senpai, if my brother wins then I'm not going to forgive you!"

Kou's screaming brought my focus back on Rin and Miyabe. They were already at the halfway mark again, but this time it was her who was ahead by a few feet. She let her kicks and strokes guide her; she was so close to finishing everything.

"K-Kinoya-chan, you're almost there! You can do it!"

She swam faster than before as Makoto's words rung out. Miyabe pushed herself against the water with no problems and she was- She looked like she was smiling as she popped her head up for air. My- My cheeks suddenly went warm, but why-

"Finished!"

She made it. She actually... "Guys, I did it!" She got out of the pool as soon as she could and everyone was on the move to reach her. I walked my way towards her slowly; I could still feel the heat across my face, but I wanted to speak to her as well. I-

Makoto gave the girl the biggest hug I've seen him give anyone, twirling her about a bit until I noticed something; his face was beet red. "I-I probably shouldn't have done something like that, but I'm- I'm just so proud of you right now!" She smiled at his words, her cheeks the same color as his.

Then she looked at me. So many words popped in my head when I saw her hop along towards me and the blazed feeling of my face grew as she got closer. I-I was... impressed? I was impressed with her swimming, but the thought didn't want to form out of my lips when she stood in front of me awkwardly.

"I won, Nanase-"

It was like an impulse that I couldn't ignore. My hand pressed itself against her dampened hair and the soft strands tangled themselves around my fingers. What was I- "G-Good job, Miyabe..." That was all I could say in this moment. I was anxious and stuttered it out. Her eyes peer up at me and-

"T-Thank you!"

She was smiling at me this time. She was happy and didn't seem to mind what I just did. Happy. I think I felt happy as well. The corners of my lips perked up. I could feel the stares of our friends on me, but for some reason it didn't make me uncomfortable.

Miyabe opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something to me, but then a scoff was heard.

"Obvious; all three of you..."

Rin. We all looked over at him; what he suddenly said was vague to everyone it seemed and he just stood near the pool with eyes leering over where we were. Who was he talking to exactly? More importantly, what did he mean by obvious-

"Tch, it's not like I care. You guys can do whatever you want for practice, I'm done for today."

"Matsuoka-senpai, w-wait up!"

And just like that, he took off to the exit with Nitori following after him. That was when I decided to moved my gaze back to Miyabe until she swiftly left my petting, walking over to Makoto to have a chat. My eyes were now on my hand standing still in the air; a small realization hitting me as I kept staring at it.

The warmth was deep inside of my chest instead of my face and it...

It made me feel happy again.


	11. Comforting (Mako)

[[ A/N: this came out much longer than i thought it would to be honest with you. however, there was no regrets so i hope no one is bothered by it. with that being said, have this fluffy moment between Kinoya and Makoto because they seriously needed one lmao. ]]

* * *

It's been an entire week since Miyabe went up against Rin in the practice session, but it was still making a big impact on me for whatever the reason. I always caught myself in the midst of eying her as she swam to beat her past records and even when I tried to avert my attention elsewhere, she still was in the corner of my gaze...

"Makoto-senpai, why'd you stop swimming?"

A certain manager yelled at me from across the pool and nearly scared me out of the water. "I- U-Um... I'm sorry!" This was one of the few times where I wasn't all too confident in what I wanted to say; after all, I'm almost sure that I wouldn't hear the end of it if I admitted to what I was actually doing. All I simply did was go back to backstroking, a sigh slipping though my lips.

Our club activities went on as usual, of course with the exception of Nagisa causing one of his infamous splash fights, and continued as such until the sun started to set. "Good job, everyone," Kou called out while placing her hands on her hips. "We can call it a day!"

"A-Actually... I was wondering if I could stay put for a little longer, Kou-chan."

"For extra practice?"

"Mhm!"

"I'm not so sure, Kinoya-senpai... I would rather you have someone with you."

I was only minutes away from pulling myself out of the water, but stopped to stare at the two. Without a second thought, I swam my way next to Miyabe and looked up at Kou; her eyes widening, surprised that I butted into their conversation. "I- I wouldn't mind staying with her, but I'll make sure she'll leave before it gets too dark." For the first time, I saw Kou hesitate a bit and finally let out a defeated exhale seconds later.

"Since it's Makoto-senpai, I'm sure you'll be safe!"

She laughed nervously and turned on her heel to get going, only for her to give us a quick wave goodbye. It wasn't long until the others started doing it as well, but when I was met with Haru's stare... I wasn't all too certain what to think. I could see a hint of emotion behind his blue gaze, however it was still foreign to me. All I knew was that it brought a shudder inside my body.

"... See you."

"Bye bye, Nanase!"

A small silence fell between us until she turned herself to face me. "Thank you so much for staying!" The sound of her voice caught me off guard and all I did was jolt up, a giggle forming from her lips. "I-I'm sorry, Tachibana-kun... I'm just so happy that I could stay in the water for a little while longer." Oh- So it wasn't to practice, but to stay inside?

"Ha! You really are a sly girl, aren't you?

"Hey now..!"

"Ha ha... I'm just kidding, Miyabe-chan."

In all honestly, I acted out on a whim when I thought about it more. I wanted to see the way Miyabe swam without our red-headed friend scolded me for stopping my training; my full focus being able to stay on the girl without any problems. I just really admired how cool she was during that practice match and couldn't seem to get the image out of my mind-

"Hey, Tachibana-kun?"

"Ah, yeah, Miyabe-chan?"

Without a word, her body slowly floated off above the surface of the water as she brought her gaze up towards the warm colored sky. "Have you ever doubted yourself? I mean, about anything in general..." It didn't take me too long to realize where this topic was going as my body stilled itself in the shallow end of the pool.

"Many of times, but the real question is... Have you been doubting yourself?"

"A-A little..."

It came out like a mere whisper when it reached my ears and I could feel my heart sinking at her voice. She sounded abnormally small; almost like she was conveying as much as she could through that one response. I wasn't use to seeing someone as blissful as her crumble by something like doubts.

I took in a deep breath and laid myself against the water, pushing my body to get next to hers. When I thought about it, Haru was typically the one who would use the water as some weird escape; to see Miyabe doing the same took me by surprise. "What exactly is on your mind?" My sights were on her again as she let out a ragged sigh.

"My swimming... Even though I try not to think on it too much, the match a week ago keeps reminding me."

Suddenly, I felt a tug in my chest and my hands twitched against the liquid surrounding us. "You mean, against Rin?" Of course she meant the one against Rin, but I was actually too shocked to even summon the proper words to say. The day where everyone was so happy for her, where she was admired, caused her to doubt herself; but why-

"Yeah. The whole time I was struggling just to catch up with him in the beginning and it made me wonder if..."

"You know, your swimming really took everyone's breath away that day-"

"E-Eh?! Seri-"

Before she even finished the last sentence, I felt large waves splashing against me and my eyes narrowed at the sight of the girl flipping over onto her stomach in panic. That was when I immediately focused my weight on the lower half of my body as I tried my best to grab a strong hold on her flailing form.

It only took about a good two minutes when I was able to get a good enough grasp to keep her steady; her vivid, lilac orbs staring up into my emerald ones. "I-I'm sorry for that! I just- I knew everyone was excited that day, but I didn't know that..." Miyabe shyly looked away once her words trailed off into a mumble, my eyes picking up on the redness of her cheeks against the hues of the fading sunset.

My heart throbbed at that instant as warmth pooled around my cheeks. "It really caught me off guard..." She still sounded as if she wasn't so sure of the truth behind my words and I could feel something inside me grow; it almost felt like it was telling me to cheer her up like I would with my siblings. My breathing stopped for a few seconds when my arms gently pulled the girl into a hug.

Her body was snug against mine and... I was so embarrassed with myself that I couldn't even speak. It was like time froze for the both of us. Then suddenly, I could feel warm droplets against my shoulder and I knew that I finally helped her let it all out. "I'm- I'm so afraid that I'll let you guys down if we ever got into a serious swimming tournament..." She choked out against my shoulder.

"W-What if I can't swim good enough- W-What if I choke up along the way?"

She pressed herself against my chest, giving me a tight squeeze. All this time, she was worried about what we would think or feel over something that was probably miles away and no one even knew about it. I idly kicked my legs to keep us floating as I waited for her cries to calm down. As soon as I did, I slowly pushed her away and placed my hands on her slender shoulders; our gazes meeting once again.

"Hear me out when I say that we'll all think of you the same if the time comes, Miyabe-chan."

"But I-"

"No buts. We're your friends through and through, even if you were to win or lose."

Silence came around again and we never averted our gazes anywhere else; it was just her and I doing a small staring contest to see which emotion was showing through. However, there wasn't much of a need for it when she gave me one of her well-known smiles. "Thank you for comforting me, Makoto-kun." A-Ah. She said my first name again. Before I could reply, I noticed her eyes widened when they looked above me.

"Wah- Tachibana-kun, l-look! it's already this dark!"

That was when the reality of the world came to mind again as I stared up at the dark, starry sky.

"O-Oh boy..."


End file.
